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AZ/IL: Midwestern University Named to President’s Community Service Honor Roll for Fourth Straight Year

June 01, 2011

by Office of Communications

As Midwestern University prepares to honor its graduating classes this spring, the University has received an honor of its own. For the fourth consecutive year, Midwestern has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction for its strong institutional commitment to service and compelling campus-community partnerships that produce measurable results for the community.

"One of the fundamental missions of our University is to reach out to our communities through service," said Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D., President & CEO of Midwestern University. "I am proud and humbled by the dedication shown by our students, our faculty, and our staff to helping our neighbors. Their compassion, caring, and enthusiasm are values that we encourage and strive for on both a professional and personal level."

Out of over 850 institutions considered for the honor, only 114 received the recognition of Honor Roll with distinction. The distinction is an indication that Midwestern University displays a strong institutional commitment to service and has formed compelling partnerships that produce measurable results.

The award, which is the highest federal recognition a college or university can achieve for its commitment to service and civic engagement, is presented by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education.

Midwestern University has a strong tradition of community service on both the Glendale, AZ and Downers Grove, IL campuses. Midwestern University students coordinate health fairs in underserved neighborhoods; provide healthcare at homeless shelters and inner-city clinics; organize fundraisers for public service agencies; conduct high school physicals; and give presentations on health-related topics at local schools. Midwestern's faculty and staff are also active in the community, serving on local nonprofit boards, judging school science fairs, volunteering at local agencies, and providing free health lectures for the community.

"Congratulations to Midwestern University and its students for their dedication to service and commitment to improving their local communities. We salute all the Honor Roll awardees for embracing their civic mission and providing opportunities for their students to tackle tough national challenges through service," said Patrick Corvington, CEO of the CNCS.

Honorees for the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school's commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.